The Art of Love and War
by TFFF
Summary: Uzumaki Naruto receives an unexpected visitor late at night which launches a series of strange and unforeseen events. [This is a modern day story]
1. Cartoon's and Cereal

Hello. I'm TFFF and this is -

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**The Art of Love and War**

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One would assume that with a gun pressed against ones' head that the only expressions available to said person would be fear. Despite his training, Uzumaki Naruto was expecting himself to react in such a way. But with a gun pressed against his head, given this peculiar situation, he could only process his thoughts and reactions through entertained bewilderment and morbid curiosity.

Unfortunately, Naruto currently found himself kneeling on his very own carpet at some ungodly time in the morning with the very threat of his existence ceasing looming grimly over his head – or to more accurately state the situation, pressed against his head.

His reactions earlier was on point only up until the initial surprise. Unfortunately, the person with gun found herself entertaining this without the intent to.

_'Strange,'_ he thought to himself

Granted he lived in the slums, where robberies were a plenty, he never expected himself to become a victim in his own home – given his identity and all. But to the average citizen, these situations seem to be a strange phenomena. No one expects a crime to occur to them; it's not surprising when the victim is a stranger or even a friend of sorts, but when the victim of a crime becomes oneself, the reaction is as if it could have never happened.

As if oneself could never be a victim of a crime.

Uzumaki Naruto had never entertained this particular possibility before. Given his location and past, it was more than likely that he would die unnaturally rather than by old age, but most people wouldn't break into his house, let alone approach him.

So imagine Naruto's surprise when the moment he stepped out the shower and into his living room in all of his birthday glory, he's to be greeted by a gun-cocked pistoleer crashing through his recently replaced door whilst screaming, "GET THE FUCK ON THE GROUND YOU MAFUCKIN' COCKSUCKERS!"

The voice belonged to the female of tiny stature with a black 9mm pointed directly at him.

He wasn't sure whether he should laugh or call for a missing child. However Naruto being wary of the waving weapon grasped tightly in her hand, settled to stare at her skeptically... Which, with some afterthought, is still an abnormal reaction in itself.

"WHAT THE FU – What are you, some kind of fuckin' perv? Cover your sack, man! I don't wanna see that shit!"

"You bitch, you ran into my house! MY HOUSE! – "

"Oh, shut up, shut up! Get on the ground and make sure you Cover. Your. Sack! I don't wanna see your junk!" the assailant half covered her masked face with a gloved-hand and feigned disgust, making sure her gun remained pointed at the naked blonde.

Naruto obediently sat down in front of the girl, crossing his legs 'Indian-style'.

"What part of 'cover your balls' did you not understand? Want me to shoot it off?"

"Tch."

Naruto folded his arms over his lap.

Without moving, the girl took a moment to scan over the house, noticing that there was only two doors in the house – well, one, because she had recently kicked down the first. The second one led to a bathroom. The kitchen was connected with what seemed to be the living-room and bedroom. One could deduce this by the sloppily-put-together bed beneath the corner window.

Cups of ramen littered the floor along with various scholastic peripheral, which, to the robbers dismay, seemed to be the most expensive objects in the house. Nothing she could sell for a considerable profit. It was safe to assume that the poor naked guy probably didn't have a safe either.

_'What the hell would I look like peddling scholastic material for money? Ugh.'_

She shook her head disapprovingly as the through her mind.

"There isn't shit here," Naruto chimed in.

"And the cops are outside the building to boot. This is the poorest neighborhood in Konohagakure. What in heavens name made you believe you'd find ANYTHING expensive in this dingy apartment complex?"

As aforementioned, the situation caused an abnormal reaction from the boy. In a normal robbery he'd imagine himself dead, or laid out on the floor with his hands and legs tied, all whilst the robber tried to find the stash or safe with all the riches he's saved up thus far.

Instead Naruto found himself immensely amused by the situation at hand, so much so that he couldn't help but screw with the young thief's head a bit.

"Don't fuck with me!"

The girl covered with a single stride the space between her and the blonde, placing the gun directly on Naruto's forehead. Unfortunately for her, it seemed that Naruto had successfully distracted her attention. She stared outside the only window to witness a chase of blue and red lights appearing like moths to flame, accumulating nicely in front of the apartment building.

"I'm serious. Someone must have called the cops. That entire racket you made a moment ago probably got the dead rolling in their grave."

The girl muttered some inaudible curses.

Taking a moment, Naruto scanned her over. She couldn't be any older than sixteen. From her roughly positioned mask, he could see a streak of red-like hair, _'dyed, no doubt.'_ She had very little to her figure, almost figure-less, but the rest of her description was left to one's imagination. She wore tight fitting black clothing, black shoes, and a black sweater.

_'Probably some hastily-thrown together robbery get-up.'_

Despite the fact that his life was beating under the gun she had pressed on his head, he could tell her attention was somewhere else. She was more occupied with the police lights outside, the sound of feet storming up the flight of steps beneath the apartment complex; scared that her freedom was going to be taken away from her.

"Now that the cops are after us, what's the plan, Bonnie?"

"Fuck you. What do you mean by 'us'? My name ain't Bonnie, bitch-boy - it's Tayuya-argh!"

"Tayuya, huh? I'm Naruto, nice to meetcha!"

The girl screeched in frustration, turning around and stomping the ground beneath her, whispering to herself. Naruto formed a foxy grin, spanning ear-to-ear, and scooted closer to her.

"What was that?"

"…ill you.."

"What?"

"I SAID NOW THAT YOU KNOW MY NAME I'LL HAVE TO FUCKIN KIL- Oohmgf!"

What happened the next few seconds seemed instantaneous. The robber known as Tayuya was disarmed in some sort of kung-fu trained format; her pistol falling as pieces into the garbage can conveniently located in the designated area of landing. All of this occurred whilst Naruto snaked a hand around her waist to guide her skillfully into an unseen closet. Taking care that his spare hand made sure to cover her mouth in case of any vocal resistance, he swept the closet doors shut which shook like a changeling fence before coming to a eerie stop.

Tayuya squirmed and attempted to scream, but Naruto's strength was more than enough to keep her put. She could only thank whatever entity that there was no light in the closet; her face was tomato red.

_'Is… is this bastard trying to rape me?'_

Her eyes clenched tightly at the remorse building in her chest. Hot tears stung the side of her eye with anger, threatening to swell and fall toward her cheek. She couldn't help but wonder if this was some sort of twisted irony? Perhaps this predicament was one of realities cruel jokes? She's had her fair share of those. And, unfortunately, was all too familiar to the sensation of being powerless to prevent them.

So with whatever strength her tiny body could muster, she pushed herself into the blond, who seemed to have been expecting this and simply held her more tightly and brought his lips to her ears in a quick, silent whisper.

"I'm trying to save you, so follow my instructions without question. Take off your sweater, mask and gloves, kick off your shoes and socks, too. Push the shoes and socks underneath you towards my feet and throw the gloves, sweater and mask directly above you in an arc-like fashion. Think of a basketball player taking a hook-shot. Do it now - you have a few seconds until they're up here."

Though what he said hadn't fully clicked, like a well-oiled machine, she began following his instructions to a T.

It was as if he programmed her body to do precisely what he said to do, as she mechanically slipped off her black gloves, mask and sweater, whirling them into a quick ball and tossing them above Naruto in an arc-like fashion, as if taking a so-called 'hook-shot'. Her feet had somehow managed to work both shoes and socks off, which were tucked neatly behind Naruto, out of sight.

She was quickly spun around within her tight corridors by the same strong arms that kept her from moving, her face planting firmly on the blonde boy's chest. Her breath caught itself in her throat. She had never, EVER been this close to a guy whom wasn't trying to harm her.

She was too conflicted to get angry, which also sufficed to prevent her from pushing him away.

It was taking her a moment to process the situation, as she now stood topless with the guy she'd threatened moments ago. She couldn't process why. It was only in the midst of all her thoughts that she felt her small breasts perking up at the unfamiliar sensation she was experiencing. Her hands fumbled weakly against his arms until she succumbed to the moment and simply laid them against his broad arms. A pained expression crossed her facial features because of a mixture of emotions, mainly confusion and fear.

_'Why…'_

She didn't have time to finish her train of thought, as there was a loud voice that cut into apartment.

"Check the other apartments, but keep your guns at the ready." There was some scuffling in the distance which drowned with the distance. "If there's anyone in that closet, now would be the time to come out. I've got my gun cocked, so no sudden movements!"

"It's me, Uzumaki Naruto. I'm sorry about the trouble. Y'see, I needed a place to hide with my lovely girlfriend."

Tayuya bit his chest and punched him with all the strength she could muster. This was a reaction out of embarrassment.

"I'm going to rip your dick off when this is over, bitch-bo-aah! What are you doing, fucker?" The whisper barely escaped her lips as his fingers traced down her spine, stopping only when they reached her waist.

The closet was opened from the outside. A masked silver-haired man greeted them.

"So it's you, Naruto. I'm sorry about the trouble but we're on alert. There's apparently a thief in the neighborhood that could possibly be connected to the string of crimes committed recently. It could be the same person who tried to murder Iruka."

"That's fine, Kakashi. Is it safe enough for me to step out?"

"Surely. And who's the lucky girl?"

"She's from a smaller city on the outskirts of the Fire-country, her name is Tayuya." Naruto walked out the closet with the girl tightly attached onto his chest. "I'm sorry for not mentioning it at the work-force, as you know I'm not normally open about my personal life."

Kakashi shrugged.

She refused to move, she didn't want to expose herself. From how Naruto cradled her, it seems he was reluctant to allow her to move, too; as if he knew her embarrassment would only rise if she had to expose herself further than what she's already done, let alone to someone else entirely.

She felt it was her fault for not wearing something underneath the sweater.

Tayuya could feel the smirk in his voice. She felt helpless, more so than ever. It had never dawned at her that the first time she'd trust anybody would be under these circumstances, it only served to further confuse her.

Why would someone go this far for a stranger? Surely he had ulterior motives. What was he gaining out of helping her? Especially since she had moments ago tried to rob him at gun point?

Who helps the person that points a gun at them?

She couldn't piece anything together.

"She seems a bit shaken."

"Can you blame her?" Naruto's tone seemed pre-recorded. Practiced to perfection. "Anybody would be shaken after hearing all that racket. I'm sure it was an unexpected turn of events for our schedule tonight."

He softly placed a kiss on her forehead whilst brushing the hair from her eyes, down her cheek, and tucking it neatly behind her ear. He smiled softly at Kakashi. She subconsciously squeezed tighter into him. She didn't dare look at his face.

_'Well… he's a fucking good actor.'_

"We'll leave you for the night, Naruto. Take care to inform me of any abnormalities."

Shortly after the conversation, the officer cleared the vicinity and left completely, leaving a cocky blonde, grinning amusingly at the heated red-haired robber.

"My, my, I never knew you could make such an expressions considering you've such a filthy mouth."

"Sh-shut it, bitch, I don't need your backwater compliments."

Naruto howled with laughter as he grabbed a set of clothes from his closet.

"You leaving with those clothes would be suspicious, so change into this. The pants are whatever." He handed her a long white shirt and a pair of straw sandals.

"T-turn around."

"Why? I've seen them already. Hell, I've felt them alrea-"

"That's not the point, fucker! Do you want me to rip your dick off? **Turn AROUND!**"

Naruto sighed, turning his back to the girl as he dressed himself in a pair of khaki's and black shirt, leaving Tayuya to fumble around with her thoughts.

_'I don't understand. The fuck is wrong with this dick-head? I had a gun to his head. I was trying to rob him! I could have killed him!_' She shook her head._ 'I should kill him for touching me the way he did – but he did save me… He could have turned me over.'_

She sighed, defeated by a strangers act of kindness. Slipping into the shirt and sandals she was given, words slipping out her mouth before she could catch them.

"Why would you help somebody who pointed a gun at you?" Her head slowly turned around to catch the blonde grinning at her. For the second time in her life her breath caught itself in her throat.

"Why indeed." Naruto muttered, his voice trailing off with the dying background noise.

"That isn't answering my question, dick-head! What the fuck is your malfunction?"

"You probably robbed me because you were hungry. Hell, you didn't have a loaded gun pointed at me. Had you done this to the wrong person then you'd be in jail, or at worst, dead."

She felt herself tense up. Being keen on knowing when someone was bullshitting her had always been one of her strangest ability, but this blonde standing in front of her left her feeling like an open book. It was strange enough that he wanted nothing in return. It was an unfamiliar sensation, because there was nobody in this world who had tried to help her out before. Being hungry, tired, alone, she resolved to do what she needed to do to get by, even if that meant killing and stealing.

The blonde in front of her was to become the unfortunate victim of a mere robbery… which failed. To add insult to injury, he ended up saving her from a rather sticky predicament.

"I came here to rob you."

Naruto shrugged.

"It's water under a bridge now."

"Why are you so nice?"

"I can be a real asshole sometimes, y'know?"

"You're a horrible liar."

"You're a horrible thief."

"Fuck you."

"You're welcome."

"I said fuck you."

Despite her glaring enough daggers to kill a kitten, the blonde teen only smirked amusingly in turn. It was obvious that she wasn't going to get anywhere with him. It frustrated her so much that she found herself unexpectedly walking up to him only to stomp his foot in an abusive attempt to make herself feel better about the situation.

It seemed to have worked, seeing as Naruto fell to the ground, holding his poor toes while whining about the pain made her sigh in relief.

"The fuck is wrong with you? Damn, you crazy bitc-"

"Thanks," was all she said before she ran out the doorway, down the flight of steps, and into whatever direction lead her to her comfortable abode.

As minutes turned to hours, Naruto remained in the center of his living room, flopped lazily on his back, trying to sponge the events that occurred tonight. His life was anything but normal; abnormality was the normality in his life.

"Yeah, yeah, bitch. You're welcome," he muttered at long last.

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I've reedited this, fixed it up, and am reposting it. At first I wasn't going to continue it but now I am.

**Thanks for reading!**


	2. Cat and Mouse

**The Art of Love and War**

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It'd taken only a few moments to disperse the police force stationed outside of the small apartment complex in which the disturbance was reported. Kakashi Hatake had taken it upon himself to advise local officers on patrol to beware of any suspicious individuals - though he provided little to no description of what would be considered suspicious as it was moot to do so because of the ghettos of Konohagakure. In technicality, everyone was suspicious. Thus, he instead decided to reason with a cigarette, slowly rotating the butt between his middle-finger and thumb amid the noise from his patrol vehicles radio; '_10-4, copy that, sir',_ and other things of the sort involving placed calls for protocol. Smoking was a nasty habit he'd quit a long time ago, only to pick up again because of the series of strange events unfolding within Konohagakure. Primarily one in particular involving the attack of a close friend named Iruka. He sighed and inhaled the smoke deeply before exhaling, blowing the Marlboro smoke through his nose.

He could have completed his routine protocol while driving, but he'd taken it upon himself to investigate the situation a bit more. Though he wasn't on the clock – not that he was on any clock so to speak – but instead did this as the head of the K.S.D.F. (short for Konohagakure's Special Defense Force). There is an additional reason, one which was unbeknownst to the typical patrolling officers and only brought to the attention of certain individuals of the K.S.D.F. – as well as the Defense Chancellor himself, Sarutobi Hiruzen (an old relic of Konohagakure of sorts, having been around since the dawn of the city, he was well respected individual. Powerful despite his old age).

This additional reason had something to do with the young lady he'd encountered in Naruto's apartment. In fact, it was the primary reason he "believed" Naruto's story only moments ago and disbanded the accumulating police force. The pertaining reason being belonged to a certain tattoo – a brand, if you will – that he'd found on the young lady's shoulder. It was barely visible through her roughly dyed black hair (though the red streaks were more than visible through the twilight that illuminated the apartment at the time).

A fabricated story.

_'Girlfriend, eh?'_ Kakashi chuckled softly through his musing. _'That kindness is going to be the death of you, Naruto.'_

That tattoo – that brand, if you will – was the engraved into the flesh at an earlier age. Much like the numbers seared into the flesh of former victims of concentration camps. This was another kind of evil, but similar in nature. The reason it was engraved into the flesh was to mark property of a slave. If you hailed from the west, it a symbol similar to that of an hour glass. And if you came from the north west, it was a symbol that seemed to be a musical within a flower. There were other symbols as well, but nothing worth mentioning at current time.

Women were marked and forced to grow their hair long. Men, on the other hand, had their inner arms marked for the world to see. Women were valuable subjects to feed hungry men. When they were sold into slavery, it was normally as a mistress or a house servant. It was uncouth for a woman to have a slave symbol in the open for the world to see.

Something which Naruto had over-looked.

Naruto wasn't much the thinking type. His bark was as loud as his bite, but he did more the biting than the barking; he's quick to leap before looking. Though, admittedly, Naruto was a quick thinker. The previous situation proved this to be true.

Regardless, to not draw any unnecessary attention, Kakashi opted to 'purchase' Naruto's story and stake out the front of the building for the young lady.

Unfortunately, this was taking a lot longer than he'd wanted it to. It didn't help that the wind was getting to him.

Half a cigarette left.

Kakashi took another drag from the cigarette and stared into the sky some as he released the smoke again, exhaling through his nose. It was a cold night. Despite his dress attire being a black suit – not the most comfortable thing to work in, but demanded respect and fear – he could still feel the cold in his bones. Reaching into the back of his car, he grabbed with a free hand his brown trench coat.

After adjusting the coat, he readjusted his eye-patch in an attempt to find anything to make the time pass him by at a faster pace. As he'd started to comb through his silver hair, he caught glimpse of a young girl making tracks from the entrance of the apartment.

Horribly dyed hair covering her natural red color? Check. Dressed in a white t-shirt, which doubled over as a miniskirt, tied at the thighs? Check. It was the same female he'd encountered in Naruto's apartment.

Kakashi stared at her figure quizzically before he made pace behind her. Her clothes weren't the... safest garments to be out in at this time of morning. Regardless, he followed closely behind.

It didn't take much effort for him to stick close to her. It became all too apparent that she couldn't have been the one who attacked Iruka. She behaved like an amateur; she made a racket as she ran from the crime scene, cursing loudly, drawing attention. Iruka was one of the best on the force. However, perhaps in following her, he could catch a clue or two as to who might be skilled enough to harm him. Taking note of the direction she was heading in, he made a mental note,_ 'east, towards the forbidden forest'._ One could see the ginormous electrical fence from half a mile away.

_'If she gets into there, it'll be troublesome for me to track her. Is there a breach in the wall we don't know about? Maybe I shouldn't report this for the time being and see how things played out... Instead, what if I... Hrm.'_

Kakashi saw some pebbles on the road and made an attempt to grasp her attention by stepping on them roughly.

No reaction, she continued forward.

A sigh escaped his lips.

He stepped on a few twigs.

Nothing.

A branch.

Nothing.

He cleared his throat.

Nothing.

He lit up another cigarette and tossed the lit match at the young lady.

"Oh," he caught himself saying. That seemed to have worked.

Without hesitating, the girl pivoted on her heel dropping into a low stance, using her right her arm to maintain balance by placing grabbing the ground, she tossed a kick towards Kakashi – only to have it intercepted by a gentle push in the left direction, causing the girl to fall off balance.

She scurried to face her foe, but before she could get up, she came face to face with Hatake Kakashi, who was crouched, staring into her eye with the only one he owned.

"W-what do you want?! I have no money."

"I'm not after money, but I'd like for you to take a moment to calm down despite the situation and answer a few questions for me."

He was certain of it. He could see the indent in the electrical fence north west of his location. His single eye was unparalleled by even the youngest child; his eyesight was amazing.

"You're that police officer that was in that ki- Imeanmyboyfriendsapartment," she couldn't suppress her blush nor embarrassment. The horrible correction was rushed and barely audible, but Kakashi hung onto every word.

"Ah, yes. What is your boyfriends name again?"

"Na..."

"Nah?"

"No, fuck! I can't think right now. What the fuck do you want, shit head!?"

"Naruto," Kakashi interjected with the aforementioned '_boyfriends'_ name.

"Naruto," she muttered under her breath, repeating after Kakashi.

"And I'm Hatake Kakashi, Chief of the K.S.D.F," he reached into his coat pocket slowly, pulling out the badge, showing her evidence. "Do you know who I am?"

She muttered a few inaudible curses, but one could see that she was visibly shaken. Kakashi glanced around as he made note that the sun was rising.

She, of course, knew precisely who he was. Hatake Kakashi had lead the rebellion in the third civil war between the Nation of Fire and the Nation of Sound, abolishing slave trade in any land that is considered part of The Country of Fire. He did this at the tender age of 19, making him the youngest hero in Konohagakure's history books. A living legend.

Because of this, the name Hatake Kakashi was renowned throughout many nations, from Otogakiri, Sunagakire, and Kirigakure. In gist, she was well aware of this mans identity. And just like that, any will to fight had left her body.

"So you are aware of who I am," Kakashi nodded and smiled softly.

His handsome features betrayed his age. His silver hair wasn't too long. He had it tied neatly into a ponytail that reached just the middle portion of his back. His bangs covered the majority of his eye-patch, but one could make the black leather out through his pale white skin.

Because of legends, she'd thought him to be the more serious type. But his recent behavior seemed to betray her beliefs. No. He was taking his job seriously, but he was merely an aloof person - was the thought she'd found herself believing instead. His reaction to her kick was spot on. This was the second time in the same night or morning (depending on how one wished to view the time) that someone from Konohagakure had bested her.

But this one did it with such ease.

She swallowed the milestone in her neck and spoke.

"W-what do you want?"

"Just for your cooperation," he said matter-of-factually.

"Are you going to deport me?" her voice shook a bit, but she maintained her glare.

"It isn't our policy to deport illegals, but there is a protocol you and I must follow in such a situation," he entertained her; "considering you were a slave befor-"

"Don't send me back!"

Kakashi raised his only visible eye-brow.

"Considering you were a slave before, once you've reached Konohagakure, so long as you're not a criminal, you'll be given a fair chance to become a citizen."

She sighed in relief.

"So long as you're not a criminal, of course..." Kakashi repeated himself, staring intensely into the young girls face.

"I-I... I haven't... done much."

"But you've done something," Kakashi pressured. "In fact, you've done a few things. But all I want is your complete cooperation and honesty."

"Don't fuck with me, Goddammit! If you're going to throw me in jail, just do it already!" She whispered as harshly as her body would allow her. "You know that I broke into that guys house to rob him."

It was as if her chest had a beating drum. One could almost hear the thundering heart beats in unison with her rasped breathing. She was sweating, she was visibly shaken and scared.

Kakashi sighed and placed a hand on her shoulder, she visibly twitched – nearly jerked – from the sensation of his hand. Regardless, Kakashi brushed her hair aside, revealing her brand of slavery. His cold finger traced it. He tilted her chin upwards and spoke in a somber tone.

"Many lives were lost in order to bring freedom to the Fire Nation. I think you understand precisely what I'm saying to you, which is why I hope that you comply. We're not immoral savages."

Kakashi let his fingers brush her hair back into such a state so that her brand remained hidden.

Tayuya could feel all her emotions welling up in her chest again, but remained adamant about her glare.

"I came here barely a month ago. All I've done is rob a few people for their valuables. I primarily target money but there's a small community of us in the eastern forest whom trade food for jewelry. I... used a gun to do so, but the gun was never loaded. I've never shot anyone, but I ain't dying out here. I ain't dyin' anywhere. You got'sta understand that I've only done what I needed to in order to eat."

Kakashi let a small smile slip unto his handsome features.

"How old are you?"

"I'm 15."

"What is your name?"

"Tayuya."

"Tayuya, a classical name," Kakashi muttered, finally helping her up onto her feet.

She scoffed.

"My mother gave it to me before she passed."

Kakashi pulled out another cigarette, his previous one remained in ashes, scattered against the ground because of his scuffle.

"You came from Otogakure, correct?"

She nodded again, solemnly.

"Orochimaru is a great enemy to Konohagakure. It isn't unheard of for Orochimaru to send a spy disguised as an elder or even as a child to us."

"I ain't no spy for that piece of shit; I rather you kill me than send me back!"

"We don't send spies back to Otogakure. We may not be savages, but we don't treat our enemies in kind either."

Tayuya shivered at the thought.

"I'm 36 years of age and not once have I ever had someone get away with lying to me," Kakashi spoke reminiscently. "I've had many try, but none succeed."

"Are you sayin' I'm lyin'?"

"I'm saying you couldn't even if you wanted to. Thankfully for you, I've deduced you haven't lied to me. There are some things you're not telling me, but I'll figure the rest out on my own. You've already given to me valuable information, so as it stands, I've no reason to keep you."

Tayuya stared awe-struck at the man before her.

"What is to become of me?" She dare not get her hopes up.

"Well, there is a protocol for us to follow, so I'll handle the papers and documentation myself. I'll be passing by your house within the week to have you sign and verify details. I will also need you to come take a photograph for an I.D."

"Uh... What? Hey, man. I ain't got no house."

"Sure you do. You're going to be living with your '_boyfriend'_."

"No fuckin' way."

"It's either that or I throw you in the can until we can find you an adoption agency some few weeks down the road."

"Alright, alright, I getcha, big guy."

Kakashi chuckled and patted the girl on the head.

"So, that's it?"

"That's it."

Kakashi took one last drag from his cigarette before letting it fall to the ground, crushing it beneath his black dress shoes. He grumbled, thinking to himself how inconvenient it was to perform physical activity in his current attire. Something he'd be sure to bring up to Sarutobi. Making a gesture with his head, suggesting that the girl follow him – which she seemed more than happy to do. Regardless of how the situation seemed to play out, this wasn't something Kakashi hadn't put much thought into. In fact, it was quite the contrary.

This is an abnormality. Otogakure slaves don't make it out of Otogakure alive. Not a single one has ever been reported in any of the neighboring nations, let alone Konohagakure. Especially Konohagakure. In fact, they're often part of terrorist spectacles, left to hang until death, decapitated, or something worse. Indeed, there was nothing normal about Tayuya making it to Konohagakure, nor her claim about being from Otogakiri.

But if by chance she did escape Orochimaru's clutches, the serpent is sure to rear his ugly head sometime in the future. And if by chance that were the case, then Konohagakure had bigger problems to worry about than some girl who managed to allegedly escape.

A sigh escaped his lips again.

Naruto was somebody he could trust. After all, he was accepted into the ANBU on his recommendation.

By the time they made it to the front of the apartment complex, daylight had completely set itself into the sky. Tayuya found herself staring cockeyed at the apartment complex. It seemed much more rundown that what she remembered it to be. There seemed to only be four people living there despite it being 3 stories tall. The wooden frames that encompassed the broken, stone gates suffered a serious termite infestation. The metal gate was rusted beyond repair; it needed to be completely replaced. And the stairs? Well, if that's what one could call this... '_contraption_', seemed more like the inside of a sharks mouth. Tayuya couldn't help but wonder how she made it out of this apartment complex alive.

"Well, this is where I take my leave."

"Wha- wait, what about telling hi-"

Kakashi laughed and waved her off.

"If you find that your '_boyfriend'_ complains, just tell him I've sent you. Naruto with a girlfriend. Gotta tell Iruka about this shit."

"Fucking seriously?"

It wasn't long before she watched the guy drive off. She couldn't help but sigh.

"What a fuckin' day."

Resigning herself to her destiny, Tayuya made her way back up the apartment complex, counting down the doors – 'six zero three, six zero five, six zero seven' – all the way to 700. It was painfully apparent that this was her new home as it was missing a door, courtesy of her late night visit. Furthermore, it seemed than the tenant of the house couldn't care less about privacy as the only thing covering his front door was a few loose rags – some which had fallen off – that hung in such a way as to hide a fraction of the apartment. But from the correct angle, one could easily see the entirety of his apartment, which, under the right light, was quite... bland. Boring. Small.

Despite the littered books, ramen cups, and holes in the carpet, it seemed virtually empty. There was that familiar bed in the corner, the closet – a blush crept on her face as she recalled the events of last night – and the blonde, who was no where to be found.

Deciding to take the opportunity to look around, she glanced inside of the trash can – to her surprise, the gun was gone. It should have been a given considering the amount of skill and knowledge he displayed during her short interaction with him. She shook her head and chucked at herself. Konohagakure, thus far, has proved to be an interesting adventured. It was certainly different. Though the feeling of uncertainty left her feeling nervous, it caused her to subconsciously trace the edge of a wall into a picture.

_'Ah,'_ and she managed to catch it before it fell. It wasn't very big. Brushing off the dust from the edges, she played with the edges of the frame with her thumb. It wasn't a recent photo, it was one of two individuals, one which was a tomato-red (or orange) colored-hair woman and the other was of a blonde man.

"Hold up, isn't that Minato Nam -"

Before she could finish her thought, the door to her left slammed open, she yelped and jumped, hiding the picture behind her back as if it were necessary. Low and behold as here she stood again (but this time without the gun or threats) and Uzumaki Naruto managed to make himself appear to her again in a naked state.

"Man, are you bullshittin' me!? What the fuck is up with you and walkin' out the Goddamn bathroom naked. Put something on -"

"Bitch, what are you doing in my house?! I swear that you wanna go to jail – I can't believe this!"

"Shut up, shut up, shut up, SHUT UP!" Tayuya spat as she tried to punch his shoulder, only to catch herself hopping on a single leg in an attempt to maintain balance. "Why is your junk still hanging out?!"

"Because you crept back into my house! Do you wanna fight?"

Naruto took a low boxing stance.

"Small dick."

Naruto fell to the floor.

"Tiny dick, can't see your dick, that must be a clitoris!"

Naruto banged his head on the ground.

"I just got out of the shower! There's NO hot water here."

Tayuya turned to the side and scoffed.

"Excuses!"

"You're still not explaining why you're here..." Naruto chimed in about her reason for returning alas, taking care to drape the towel around his waist carefully in the process.

"Well, before you get angry hear me out... Look, this guy named Kakashi told me to stay with you because there's a few things that are... er, going on in my neck of the wood-"

Naruto did a double-take, unsure if he'd heard the girl correctly.

"Come again?"

"I'm going to be living here."

Naruto poured himself a cup of water, drunk it down, and looked as if he were about to ask again. He found it hard to swallow, but opened his mouth to ask again.

"Ask me why again, motherfucker. I dare you – I double dare you!"

Naruto, for once, found the strength to refrain. He glanced her over before reaching into his closet to grab a towel, which he tossed into her general direction. There wasn't any point in interrogating her at present time. He'd barely gotten an hour of sleep and she'd probably gotten none at all. You could tell by her tattered knees and ripped shirt that she'd been through enough for the night. The back of the shirt was sporting a few new holes, covered in dust, and smelt oddly of cigarettes. The front wasn't much better, just some sweat stains mixed into the dirt. It was enough to make the blonde rethink his approach. At worse, he'd find the answers out as time went on. It wasn't as if he were opposed to sharing his apartment.

It's not as if he had much company anyway.

In gist, his apartment was quite empty. Tons of ramen, spoiled milk in the fridge, perhaps a few spare eggs (that one should question before consuming). Of course, there was a matter of a bed. There was only one. He could set another kind out on the floor for himself, of course. Regardless, there were various options and more than enough room to accommodate them both.

Though he slightly found himself pondering about her ability to accept living with a strange man so easily, he quickly brushed it off. If Kakashi had ordered it, there must be a good reason. Kakashi was a convincing man if he'd ever met one. It wouldn't be beyond Kakashi to convince a teen to room with the devil, let alone someone that'd saved her (though Naruto secretly hoped Kakashi knew nothing about this, he couldn't help but feel that he'd been set-up the night before).

_'In due time, I guess.'_ Naruto settled for a small smirk.

"Kakashi said so, eh."

"What – you're just going to accept it?"

"I'll talk to Kakashi about it later, but for now you reek of sweat and you're a mess; go take a shower," Naruto spoke with the sudden seriousness she'd started to find him capable of. "Here, some clothes and an extra towel. We'll go get you something more... appropriate later in the day."

Tayuya didn't have the strength to fight. It'd been much too long morning even for someone as energetic as herself. She couldn't help but feel indebted to the blonde again, which was a sensation she was becoming all too familiar with since arriving in Konohagakure. He'd saved her once, the single-eyed officer had provided her with an ultimatum for some cheap information and sent her to live somewhere comfortably instead of some shabby tent in the woods, and the person she'd been sent to live with accepted without much restraint.

It was made obvious that she'd have to adjust to living with a boy and that said boy would also have to do some serious adjusting himself - but it wasn't enough to make her look down on her present situation. In fact, she was feeling quite blessed. And for the second time in her life, she felt the familiar sensation of being unable to control her emotions and the words that accompanied them.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," she muttered as bathroom door shut behind her. "Thank you."

The first time she'd thanked someone was mere hours ago in this very same apartment, to that very same man. And the second time was a few seconds ago, to the very same man. She couldn't help but think to herself about the strange enigma that was Konohagakure. What about it made all the people inhabiting the Nation of Fire so charismatic, so kind, and so accepting...? She couldn't quite place her finger on it, and she wasn't quite ready too look a gift horse in the mouth but she'd made a mental note to eventually find a satisfactory reason to the question of 'why'.

"Yeah, yeah, bitch. You're welcome," he muttered at long last.

It's crazy, history has a strange way of repeating itself.

* * *

**A/N:** _I hope you guys enjoyed. I don't plan to make this too long. Lemme know whatcha think._

I also released the wrong copy of the story to you guys. I re-edited it and submitted the new chapter. I apologize.


	3. The Reasonable Doubt

**The Art of Love and War. **

* * *

It didn't take much time for Kakashi to acquire the necessary documentation and permissions to for Tayuya. Fortunately for himself, his connections within the government were nearly second to none. It made his skin tingle and chuckle nervously when he realized how much influence Sarutobi had, especially over the Council of Seven. Considering his position as the chairman, it was to be expected. But to see the Wise Man at work is always a marvel to behold.

The Council of Seven was established during the early annex of Konohagakure's history and government. It's purpose was to provide unanimous decisions for the betterment of Konohagakure. This included war, which was at plenty of the time.

The biggest feat The Council of Seven achieved was the establishment of freedom of speech and equality for all man, woman, and child, regardless of race, ethnicity, and overall origin of said human hence Konohagakure became accepted as a dominating power throughout the world.

Though slavery still exists in various neighboring nations and doesn't share the same views as Konohagakure.

The former Council of Seven then passed its seats to the upcoming generations and separated itself from the senate. Though the positions within the senate hold a considerable amount of power, the Council of Seven only congregates with its own members to benefit the entirety of its country.

They also default as public representatives for Konohagakure.

Members within the Council of Seven adhere by strict policy and law. It's composed of the brightest and most capable within Konohagakure.

The positions are filled by the following entities (with the former successors in place):

**Seat 1**: Hiruzen Sarutobi (_Predecessor of the deceased Minato Namikaze whom succeeded the seat from Hiruzen Sarutobi before his inevitable demise hence the seat returned to Hiruzen Sarutobi. Hiruzen's seat was originally inherited from late Tobirame Senju, who inherited it from the late Hashirama Senju._)

**Seat 2**: Itachi Uchiha (_Successor of the late Uchiha Fugaku, inherited from the late Sakumo 'White Fang' Hatake', who succeeded the late Uchiha Madara._)

**Seat 3**: Danzō Shimura (_Inherited from the late Shisui Uchiha, who inherited it from the late Itama Senju, who inherited it from the late Butsuma Senju._)

**Seat 4**: Hatake Kakashi (_Inherited from the late Obito Uchiha, who inherited it from the late Hogoromo Ichizoku, who inherited it from the late Izuna Uchiha._)

**Seat 5**: Rikudo Nagato (_Inherited from the late Kushina Uzumaki, inherited from the late Kawarama Senju, inherited from the late Mito Uzumaki._)

**Seat 6**: Shikaku Nara (_Inherited from the late Shugonin Kazuma, inherited from the late Shugonin Kazuma, inherited from the late Shugonin __Tōu._)

**Seat 7**: Asuma Sarutobi (_Inherited from the late Biwako Sarutobi, who inherited from the late Sasuke Sarutobi._)

Aside from the first seat, which dominates the majority of the power within the Council of Seven, the rest (2 through 7) aren't above nor below each other.

It is necessary for an unanimous decision to be reached amongst all the Council of Seven before making a move. However, when a unanimous decision surfaces, it's required for the Third and Seventh seat to think of alternate decisions as precautions. In turn, a 'Plan B' is made as a precaution.

It wasn't long before Kakashi took great pride in his role as the Fourth Seat within the Council of Seven. Though every Konohagakurian held within them an unshakable amount of pride, Kakashi's very fiber existed to protect all of Konohagakure and those who she reaches out – and those who reach out to her. It brought a smile to his face. Because of this, despite the petty crimes committed from time to time, which happens in every society, he took his job in law enforcement and as the Fourth Chair of the Council of Seven extremely seriously.

"I expect you to keep a close eye on the young lady, Kakashi," a voice broke Kakashi out of his thoughts and back into the situation at hand. He stood before The Council of Seven, speaking on behalf of the irregularity that revolved around Tayuya's supposed escape.

"Indeed, Hatake," spoke a younger voice. "If I read correctly, you've left her in company of my subordinate?"

Uchiha Itachi.

Unfortunately his handsome features couldn't be observed through the thickening dark that accompanied the meeting chambers for the Council of Seven.

In fact, one couldn't observe any features of anybody because of the odd shadowing.

_'Sharp as ever...'_ Kakashi raised an eyebrow towards the young Uchiha. The youngest of the Council but far deserving of his seat. It was strange that he couldn't make out any features of the prodigy because of the darkness encompassing the room. _'Why do we always host our meetings in some dark room?' _

A sigh.

"Yes, that's correct," Kakashi responded. "She was the cause of some petty thievery within the neighborhood but isn't associated with Iruka's attack. She made contact with Uzumaki Naruto earlier within the morning in an attempt to rob him. He easily defused the situation and I followed the target. After confirming she was from Otogakiri, I insisted on bringing it up to Sarutobi and the Council for further investigation."

"A wise decision," another voice, this time of Nagato of the Uzumaki clan.

"It isn't uncommon that an Otogakure slave tries to escape, but never within the start of the village has there existed a successful escape. This is the primary reason we must keep watch over her," Nagato continued, emphasizing the last portion of his sentence. "My information network hasn't ever failed us, which is why I cannot concede to her statement. However, I can say that there's always room for error. I've been informed that there were no escapes nor is there any commotion within Otogakure at present time."

"What are you suggesting?"

"That there's a more than likely possibility of her being a spy for Otogakure."

Everyone muttered their agreement. Kakashi couldn't deny Nagato's train of thought. Orochimaru's a genius psychologist, surgeon, and tactician. It wouldn't be unlikely that Tayuya could be modified beyond Kakashi's ability to perceive. Much like many people within this room, Kakashi underwent the Uchiha method of genetic engineering when his deceased partner, Obito Uchiha, provided to Kakashi the eye of an Uchiha. Orochimaru has replicated on several instances similar effects, some which have exceeded expectations.

"Does Naruto know of the situation?"

"I'll send my brother to inform him of it."

"Is that wise?"

"Naruto is on par with Sasuke's abilities. An amazing achievement for someone who isn't an Uchiha, wouldn't you say?"

A '_hmph'_ escaped Itachi's mouth.

"Settle down," Sarutobi exhaled from his pipe, tapping it lightly against the desk to capture the attention of the entire council.

"I do not believe it's wise to send Sasuke yet but I'd like for you to inform him of the situation, Itachi."

"It shall be done."

"Furthermore," continued Hiruzen; "despite the abnormality of the events, I do not feel she imposes on our security. Because of this, I'll allow her staying with Naruto Uzumaki until she begins functioning as a cog of society and provides for herself."

The room was once again filled with individuals muttering their agreement.

"I shall have Shimura make contact with Naruto and Tayuya under the pretense of providing additional income to Naruto for the time being."

"It shall be done."

"Shimura's capabilities on the subject at hand are best, as he's had the pleasure of interacting with Orochimaru and his test subjects on several occasions," Sarutobi continued to stress his point. "If Shimura is to notice anything odd, he shall report it to us immediately."

More agreements.

"If there's nothing left on the table for discussion, I'd like to end this meeting and proceed to the bathhouse with my grandson."

A choir of '_nothing else to report_' followed the statement.

"In that case, Kakashi, deliver the papers to Naruto tomorrow. Shimura, I expect you to make contact tonight. I declare this meeting adjourned."

"Well, there's one thing that's been bugging me for a few years now..."

"What is it, Kakashi?"

"It's nothing major really..."

"...But?"

"...But why do we host our meetings in the dark?"

A few collective groans were captured.

"Is it traditional to hold our meetings like super villains?"

Sarutobi waved him off, though it went unseen due to the dark.

"Dismissed!"

* * *

From the moment Uzumaki Naruto had become acquainted with Tayuya, it could be said that he'd felt as if she were a chip on his shoulder.

By the time three days of time had passed, that chip evolved into a boulder.

These past few days had become a steep learning curve for the young blonde. Fortunately, concerning motivational approaches, there existed a constant reminder at current time on his formally unblemished cheek in the form of a red hand. Tayuya considered it quite a feat, much to her displeasure - the fact that Naruto, a boy who's lived alone since a wee age to learned to knock when the bathroom door is closed at a much later age. Under normal circumstances, the blonde merely kicks open the door whenever he feels the need to visit the latrine or washroom. This could be contributed to the fact that Uzumaki Naruto wasn't at all accustomed to having a person living with him, let alone a woman living with him. Hell, it was difficult enough for women of his age to approach him for one reason or another. So it comes as no surprise that Naruto may have walked in a few times during Tayuya's more private times; whether she was using the bathroom, taking a shower, or merely preparing herself for a long day, Naruto had managed to storm in on her during the most inappropriate times hence the red mark on his cheek.

"She really didn't have to hit me again, geez."

The second mark? That could be attributed to his snide remark directed towards Konohamaru regarding his predicament. Unfortunately, he didn't count for Tayuya's impeccable hearing. It became a joke that she could hear a faucet dripping from a mile away. An instance ago, the young child (on his way to school) stumbled upon the two doing some shopping, in which he made remarks about the various injuries Naruto was sporting. Taking into consideration the female beside him was walking within such proximity that the two seemed to be an item, Konohamaru joked about sex injuries in which Naruto replied "Pfft, if only!"

This earned him the second slap to match the first one on the opposite cheek.

Pain had proven to be one of experiences wonderful methods of teaching. This was something Naruto has come to understand completely within the past few days of his now _very_ interesting life.

Unfortunately, Tayuya didn't appreciate being ogled as a sexual object, even in jest. She made it a point to stress her discomfort by providing something of equal compensation as often as possible - she'd hit, slap, and punch the poor blonde.

Never mind the fact that she was imposing, but the fact that he'd be punished for mere misunderstandings left Naruto extremely displeased. This was made abundantly apparent by his furrowed brows and dirty glares he'd shoot towards Tayuya every few moments.

Regardless, he was willing to bite his tongue for the time being due to his and her circumstance.

On a brighter note, it'd come to his attention that not _all_ females required an absurd amount of time in order to become properly presentable. In fact, Tayuya utilized only a few minutes longer than himself to shower and prepare for her days. Albeit he was involved in prolonging the time by receiving vicious lashings due to her temperament during situations, it could be rounded off to 15 minutes total - to shower and get dressed that is.

Considering she was quite sloppy and ill-mannered, he felt that he didn't need to give credit to any stereotypes about women and considered this a new learning experience.

Hell, it started to feel as if men exaggerated on most things they'd say about women. And here he was, expecting to be waiting for Tayuya the majority of the morning in order to purchase her some presentable clothes (personals included undergarments and proper utensils for **'that time of the month'**).

Among the beatings, Naruto had to also deal with her constant bickering over the selection of food he had available, which included, but isn't far too limited to, instant noodles (ramen), cereal (Apple Jacks), and soggy milk. Sure, there were crackers and condiments he wouldn't suggest any soul consume within the confides of his refrigerator, but neither of that could be properly deduced to food. Something which Tayuya made an effort to point out every morning, afternoon, and night (whether it be for breakfast, lunch, or dinner).

When it became clear to him that she lacked proper undergarments - no bra, no panties, nothing to compensate for the lack of undergarments that females would commonly use, he made it a point to leave extra early this morning so that the two of them may shop for such necessities (after his brush with Tayuya's dissatisfaction in the form of a beating for presumably peeking, as she 'lightly' put it).

So now he found himself sitting outside of the local Tsunade's Secret - a lingerie shop, helping her purchase underwear and bras.

'_It's not as if her chest amounts to much anyway,_' Naruto sulked. '_Must be a woman thing._'

He'd taken a detour to purchase a few other necessities; shampoo, a few toothbrushes, hair brush, combs, toothpaste, and things to fill the latrine in order to compensate for the two living together, were all tucked neatly within a bag around his slender wrist. He'd picked up a futon, which was being packed as he waited and being delivered to his house later within the evening.

Covers and additional clothes were all that was left.

"Alright, pervert, I'm through here."

"I'm not a pervert," Naruto defended himself in a defeated fashion; he couldn't find the energy to completely fight back and opted to give mediocre retorts. "Did you get everything you needed? I hope you purchased enough to last you a while..."

"Not only are you a pervert, you're a sex offender. You're a **cholo**, a maggot, a worm; too insignificant to even lick the shit from under my shoe." She blatantly ignored the more important question to continue her verbal onslaught.

"Don't forget who purchased you those shoes - hell, do you even know what cholo means?"

"It's prison slang for child molester."

"You're not a child and I've never molested you."

"Who knows what skeletons you have hidden in your closet?"

"Keep this up and I'll definitely have a skeleton in my closet."

"So you admit you're a child molester? Disgusting. I'm repulsed by the fact that I've gotta share a room with you, faggot. Limp dick punk."

"Feel free to return to your bush out yonder. Please, I insist; You're only hurting my pockets."

"Tch."

Tayuya had the kind of mouth that'd make the hardest boiled sailor blush. It wasn't strange considering the fact that she was a former thug and all, but the reason Naruto was capable of sweeping it all beneath the rug was because of her dependency on him. In fact, from a distance, one would thing that Tayuya and him were a romanced couple enjoying a casual talk because she'd found comfort in grabbing the side of his shirt, twirling it within her fingers to secure herself to his side. She walked within such close proximity and with the timidness of a lost child. In fact, despite her colorful vocabulary, she's almost reluctant to talk to anyone else but Naruto. This is precisely why it was painfully obvious that she was the type of person who couldn't word what she felt.

Doing so caused her great embarrassment. In hindsight, she'd always go about some roundabout format of diverting his attention before running off with a '_thank you'_.

She'd seldom spoken about herself - like, earlier in the morning when she got onto a bus. She felt as if she wasn't allowed to sit on any of the chairs. When Naruto prompted her to a seat, she looked baffled and bewildered. It was only after pulling her within a close proximity and explaining the circumstances did she actually apply herself to the situation at hand. When Naruto's hand gripped her slender wrist, it felt like hallowed skin and bone. He could feel the aching remnants of shackles that had laced her pale skin for prolonged periods of time during her former life.

The signs of prolonged slavery.

He dare not tell her it wasn't so serious. Despite Naruto's brash nature, his words were chosen carefully when he explained the situation of Konohagakure to her.

For a slave to get on a bus in any other country is unheard of. Women weren't considered equals by no means anywhere outside of Konohagakure, which meant sitting on a bus while a man was present is unheard of, so the tremendous barrier she had to overcome to sit herself beside Naruto brought tears to his eyes.

But Konohagakurian's don't cry in the face of pain or adversity. If anyone should have cried, it should have been Tayuya.

So the tears didn't fall, but lingered there for a moment as he stared off into the distance of the opposite window.

It was then, from its reflection he caught her smiling cheeks and bubbly features. He didn't question it at all. In fact, he felt as if he understood.

So instead he found himself enamored with that childish smile she displayed. It was one of the first and only genuine emotions she'd ever displayed in front of him.

If anyone deserved to cry it was Tayuya.

Not him.

But like him, she'd chosen not to.

And all at once, he felt as if he were walking within some silence beyond the busy city life bustling around him; as if trapped within another dimension, as if a circle of invisible vectors reflected sound away from the two teens, whether it be the birds that chirped at random intervals, the conversations held at distances, or the loud advertisements, it seemed as if he were alone in his own world with her, and her with him.

His anger would boil over as steam and dissipate all at once. It was a constant reminder of how different the cultures outside of Konohagakure were.

To her, the world outside was the ugly truth; within the confides of Konohagakure's walls, this was all a beautiful lie.

It gave him strength and patience to deal with her temperament.

Hence he'd forgive her seemingly unappreciative attitude without having to tell her a thing.

And all at once he found himself retracting his fingers and forming a fist, then loosening them up again in repetition; rinse and repeat.

He felt the desire to be her strength, her friend, and her comrade. But not just her, but anyone who needed it.

A trait he'd adopted from his father - or so Sarutobi often mused him with stories of Minato.

"I didn't offend you, did I?"

"Wha-?"

"You're lookin' awfully serious over there. I'm hoping I offended you."

"Pfft," Naruto burst into a fit of laughter, patting her head with his free-hand (which was promptly swatted away followed closely by a string of inaudible curses and verbal abuse). "Cry later but for now lets enjoy the laughter, eh?"

"Fuckin' weirdo."

But she couldn't help but grin in return-

"Oh, the bus! Are we taking the bus again!?"

"Yeah, we need to get you some clothes."

"Shit yeah!" Her fist pumped with her free-hand, the black bag held tightly within it bouncing carelessly with the motion.

She glared over at Naruto with accusing eyes.

"Dude, don't expect me to model shit for you."

Naruto scoffed, rolling his eyes at the girl.

"Please don't have me gouge my eyes out."

It wasn't long before they arrived towards the center of town. After bidding the lady driving adeu, they spent their time searching for an adequate shop that fit the budget Naruto held. Tayuya insisted on entering the store alone - something Naruto was all too happy to agree with considering the suggestive nature of Tayuya and him entering a female clothing store together. He opted to sit across the store at a local pachinko parlor, in a close enough proximity so that Tayuya could easily see him from behind the gigantic glass windows plastered with random '**SALE**' and '**BARGAIN**' signs. Unfortunately seats were only available for customers, so he was forced to pay for a rather over-price ramune (a popular soda pop with an added twist; it was sealed with a marble to preserve the flavor, and it had to be opened with the included prop bottle cap by applying pressure with the center of ones palm. Something children and teenagers indulged in just because).

It was long before he spotted a few familiar faces among the vast crowd; Sakura and Ino doing their weekly shopping, both who paused to give Naruto a look of disgust, which Naruto obliged with a facial expression of his own.

He took a swig of his drink, emptying its contents completely before giving a satisfied sigh and smacking it against the table in such a way to imitate business men that drunk during company meetings.

"So who's the girl?"

Naruto groaned.

"Sasuke."

"Naruto."

Sasuke pulled up with two more ramune, handing the opened one to Naruto before working on opening his own.

"Thanks."

"Don't forget about my question."

Uchiha Sasuke.

Uchiha Sasuke was part of the same ANBU platoon as him and worked diligently to secure the top position in his scholastic studies and ANBU physical tests. Among the majority of the candidates, he was considered a prodigy - much like his brother, Uchiha Itachi (who was Naruto and Sasuke's superior). Despite their close relationship, Sasuke treated his brother as the commanding officer and received no beneficial treatment while on the workforce. Because he was personally trained by Itachi during after hours, this presented an advantage. Though Itachi diligently trained all of his cadets.

The two siblings resembled each other closely - Sasuke lacked the longer pony-tail his brother had, as well as the wrinkle-crest-line descending from his inner eyes towards his cheeks. Itachi look much older despite his age but younger in comparison to everyone of the higher ups. Itachi was, of course, the youngest commanding officer in all of Konohagakure's history.

Their attire was quite similar, preferring darker clothing in forms of kimono's adorned with the Uchiha symbol which was so iconic amongst Konohagakurians (as Madara was one of the founders of Konohagakure and was an Uchiha himself).

Today Sasuke presented himself with a dark black and blue kimono. Attached to the rear-end of the kimono was a sword and hilt which had its own belt but was cleverly hidden behind the lighter blue rope he used as a belt. One could make out the distinct fishnet beneath the kimono.

Sasuke was arguably one of Naruto's closest friends. Most importantly, Sasuke was his rival.

"She's somebody I'm taking care of. Kakashi brought her in after an incident."

"Was she a former slave?"

"So it seems," Naruto twirled the green liquid with his ramune bottle by spinning the glass contraption, staring into it as if he were trying to find some kind of reasoning. "She's a slave from Otogakure."

"Hn."

The brief moment of silence was spent with Naruto taking mental notes of Sasuke, primarily eyeing his current condition whilst Sasuke spent it fiddling with the glass bottle. Considering the fact that his breathing was a tad bit deeper and heavier than normal, it was safe to assume that Sasuke only recently finished his morning training. Sasuke's day primarily consisted of training (in the morning), studying (in the afternoon), and missions (whenever any are available).

Eventually Naruto found himself bored of Sasuke's inability to properly open the bottle and took it from the raven-haired Uchiha, choosing this moment to also break the silence.

"Finished training?" Naruto merely mumbled his question in Sasuke's direction, placing the inner plastic cap of the bottle against the marble inside the bottle and applying minor pressure - seconds later a popping sound - and handing the drink over to Sasuke.

"Earlier than expected. Hinata joined me from the Hyuuga compound along with her genius sister."

Naruto snorted. "Hanabi Hyuuga."

"She's a lot more capable than you are."

"Everyone excels in comparison to me when it comes to academics. I'm more 'right-brained' and prefer practical experience over theoretical equations and paper work." Naruto smirked into his thought, the last of his words coming out as a mere whisper. "I'm quite sure she's smarter than me by a long shot but I'm stronger than anyone on the recruitment force by a mile."

"Strength will only get you so far." Sasuke made a final stab at the blonde boy.

Naruto rapidly tapped his index finger against the table, signifying his annoyance with the conversation at hand.

"So I've been told many times."

"Kyuubi, eh."

"Indeed."

Another brief moment of silence, eventually broken by Naruto. Again.

"Anyway, she's staying with me and lacked any sort of currency and clothing. I'm more or less pitching in to help."

Sasuke visibly raised an eye-brow.

"How many times now?"

"What?"

"How many times have you fucked up and walked in on her showering?"

"Is it that obvious?"

Sasuke smirked.

"Idiot, anyone could make out these slap marks from a mile away."

"All misunderstandings."

"I'm sure."

"You better be."

Sasuke reached into his kimono and extracted a few bills, placing them in front of the blonde.

"You can pay me back whenever."

Naruto stared quizzically at Sasuke. It wasn't common that Sasuke showed any gestures of kindness towards anyone, let alone his rival - especially towards Naruto.

"What's the catch?"

"Interest."

"Tch."

There was a brief silence before Sasuke continued talking. Silences with Sasuke didn't last long because he was the type of person to question everything. He insisted on consolidating knowledge; it was necessary for him to know who, what, where, why, and how. It's what set Sasuke apart from everybody else. He took an extreme interest in everything around him. The kind of mind that you'd find one in a few thousand.

"Do you believe that there's some kind of catch to her escaping Otogakure?"

"Slaves escape every day, no? We're a bit of a beacon, a _'North Star'_ if you will; it's to be expected they all migrate and immigrate to and into Konohagakure. So, to answer your question, I can't really see one." Naruto drained the ramune bottle Sasuke had given him before performing the same slap-table ritual again. "I guess because it's Orochimaru that it's uncommon but I try not to put too much thought into it."

"You've never been the type to put tons of thought into anything. It seems to me that you more often than not run away from reality in front of you."

Sasuke took a swig of his own ramune.

"The idea of slavery and oppression makes my blood boil," Naruto indulged Sasuke's lead. "I joined the ANBU to become a cog in the wheel that's going to change the world, y'know? And today I paid attention to the sensation of her skin around the wrist and I could still feel the effect of those shackles."

"..."

"It felt so surreal because all I've known is a peaceful life. I've never seen anyone in chains but in books and photographs; in fact, we're consistently reminded of this in school." A sigh. "Though a picture is worth a thousand words, the actual sensation is indescribable."

"I can relate."

"Can you?"

Sasuke gave a short nod before getting up from the table, presumably bowing out of the conversation and doing whatever it is Sasuke does during his free time.

"I'll impart a story to you from the Uchiha."

"Never thought I'd hear those words."

"Idiot." Sasuke frowned slightly before continuing. "Have you ever wondered why she never ended her life? Have you ever thought about why people in these extreme situations continue to work under horrid conditions?"

"Isn't it fear?"

"It's a motivational factor, surely, but that's not entirely the situation because not everything is so black and white."

"Your point?"

"One day Life asked Death, "Why do people love me but hate you?" and Death responded, "because you're the beautiful life and I'm the painful truth." but y'know what, Naruto? Sometimes I believe that isn't always the case. People have always found a way to overcome all adversity. Your father said it best. The human self-preservation instinct is among the strongest in all of the world. Our fight for flight is a poison that can liberate the weakest of man and enslave the strongest..."

"...Yeah."

"I expect you'll come to fully understand the meaning of his words one day."

"Wise ass."

"I'm not being wise; you're just ignorant. When are you going to confront those demons?"

"..."

"Later, idiot."

"Jackass."

It wasn't long before Naruto shook off the morbid after-thought Sasuke had conjured within the confides of Naruto's mind. Naruto wasn't the most capable at critical thinking. Though Sasuke's words did seem to haunt him, it wasn't something he could put too much credit into. Especially because if there were demons he was running away from, now was neither the time nor the place to confront them.

A weary sigh escaped his lips.

'_Things have become much more complex now, eh_?'

It wasn't long before he found himself tapping his foot impatiently and checking any available source for the current time. It'd been almost an hour and a half he spent talking to Sasuke about philosophy and what have you and Tayuya still hadn't finished his shopping. He took a moment to glance around the clearance before he made up his mind.

Albeit it'd be strange to walk into the store after her, it'd be far worse for him to stay outside and starve his attention with boredom.

Dumping the bottles of ramune into the nearest trash, he decided to make his way through the vast crowd and into the woman's clothing store, in which he was immediately greeted by a voice pertaining to a younger female.

"Could I help you, sir?"

"Uh... Yeah, I'm lookin' for a girl ye-high," he motioned with his free hand. "Red hair, dark brown eyes, looks like she's got an issue with the world?"

"Uhm..."

"She's my girlfriend, y'see... I just... kind of went to get some stuff at a nearby store!" A sloppily put together lie but nothing that wasn't passable.

"Oh, then most certainly. Follow me."

As the sales representative lead the way, Naruto tried his best to avert his eyes (with little success) from the fancy jumble of bras and panties lined up at every other corner. Within a few moments, he was stopped outside of a clothing stall in which Tayuya had obviously stepped into so to fit her clothing, and probably to see if they were to her liking.

"She'll be just one moment, give me a second to inform he-"

"Oh, that's not necessary. It'll be a surprise."

The younger female stared skeptically at Naruto before shrugging it off and continuing off with a '_if you say so_'.

Minutes had passed before Naruto heard the familiar cursing of the red-headed girl and the screen to the changing room scooted open. Tayuya, who hadn't expected Naruto to be there, ran headlong into his chest - almost falling over. She barely caught her balance in mid curse, first raised, poised to strike, before she realized who stood in front of her.

Naruto let out a slow whistle.

"I think that clothes make the woman as much as they make the man!"

"The fuck?! What are you doing in here?! I thought I told you to wait outside?"

Naruto put up his hands defensively.

"I presumed this would be a quick purchase - find some clothes you like, pick 'em up, and buy 'em."

"It's unfortunate that your feeble mind is incapable of processing the complexity of how a woman functions, but this isn't my problem to take on. I insist you stop breathing!" Tayuya fumed, adjusting the sloppily over-large white shirt over the black fish-net she wore beneath it. "Well?"

Not that Naruto was paying attention to the color of her undergarments but he'd managed to capture a glimpse of her bra.

"Green?"

WHAP

Naruto was punched in the gut so forcefully that it nearly blew all the air out of him.

"S-sorry," he managed to apologize through heaves.

"Disgusting."

Brushing the insult aside, he took a proper look at her.

A big white t-shirt over black fishnet, which hung at such an angle that exposed the majority of her left shoulder. She wore a tight bair of low-cut jeans, and her hair was tied back at the very bottom by a green black scrunchy. Naruto found himself nodding. It certainly hugged her curves correctly.

"You look great."

"Re-really? Look, man, I'm not trying to model for you or anything... I just... need another opinion!" She cursed before stomping on Naruto's toes with her new black-boots. It was evident that she'd purchased more clothes based on the collosal amount of bags she threw over her shoulder as she stalked off (which explained why she'd taken so long) - but not before glancing back, "Yo, c'mon, maggot, I'm starving; lets grab some food."

Naruto sighed, defeated.

Perhaps he should give a bit more credit to these stereotypes about women and their habits.

* * *

**A/N:** Happy Holiday's everyone!

A bit later than expected but I was way out of town. I spent two weeks in Japan with my friends family, went to a few concerts, and went to the UK.

Overall it was a great time. I mainly went to consolidate a folded sword in Japan. My friends father is a blacksmith who's made katana's family comes from generations of katana makers. It's one of the most beautiful swords I've ever held. I'm beyond happy about it. In turn, I gave them ponchos from my culture. I made 'em myself!

Anyway, I hope everyone enjoyed the chapter. I've got a fairly decent idea now where I'm going with the story. I'm very happy with it but I know I can do better. It helps expand my knowledge of the English language and also gives everyone something different to read. I hope that everyone loves it. I'll try to keep it as comedic a possible but I kind of like a mixture of a bit of everything in my stories.

Thank Vladimir Nabokov for that one.

Anyway, take it easy! Hope to see you all soon.

Remember to read and review!

I LOVE critiques. Please give me suggestions. Help me deliver to you a better story! Thank you for everyone who sent to me messages and suggestions. I promise I will do my best to lengthen the chapters and provide more dialogue, background stories, and in depth character development.

P.S. Oh, I know it might sound strange but I've never cared for the Naruto manga after a certain point. To me the story fell off after Sasuke's defect. It became too much (though I read anyway because I've invested a lot of time in the story). It's funny because I find myself writing Naruto fanfiction above anything else despite my nickles and dimes with the series. But, alas, I can't help it. I love the Naruto cast.


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